To be worried and upset about the state of my teeth

[mumbo34]

Earlier in the year I had a really traumatic time with my teeth. I had a wisdom tooth that had decayed, it went from dull ache to scratch my eyes out pain in the space of a few days. My dentist wouldn't touch it and referred me to a specialist but the waiting list was months. In the end I paid privately to have it taken out. The tooth next to it also had to come out too. I can't describe how bad the pain was before they were removed, I didn't sleep for a week.

Anyway after this I'm now hyper aware of any slight discomfort in my teeth and gums. I've taken to inspecting them with a torch which sounds insane but I'm so scared of going through what happened before. I've had a slight pain on one side (nothing severe like before) and when I've looked I've noticed I've got what looks like a gum line cavity in a tooth there and at least three more in my mouth.

I'm just gutted. I doubt I ever would have noticed these things if I hadn't been looking. But I don't understand why my teeth are in such shit condition. I brush twice a day and don't eat a particularly bad diet. I'm also pissed off at how these things haven't been picked up on or mentioned to me before. I had x rays this year, why didn't any of the dentists I saw mention these cavities? They may be early stages but surely they would mention it.

I tried to book to see the dentist this week but no appointments are available and we are going abroad on holiday next week. Im so worried about having a flare up of something while we're away. And to be honest I've lost all faith in dentistry in the UK anyway. You can't get an appointment and even when you do they don't seem to look properly. And if you have a serious problem like I did they just fob you off with referrals that take up to a year unless you're willing to pay through the nose.

Has anyone else had these gum line cavities? Were yours treated? And did you experience any pain or complications with them? I realise I sound like a tooth fanatic here but I genuinely think I have some post traumatic stress from what happened to me before.

Are you sure they’re cavities? Might just be some gum recession?

Some people just have shit enamel! My family have all brushed twice a day and mouthwash but we all have loads of teeth out, fillings, crowns etc. But all very straight teeth.
My friends family have all needed braces but not one of them has ever needed so much as a filling and the youngest in their 40s. A lot of health is down to genetics

DP's on a waiting list to have his taken out - he's had two temporary fillings since March, the second with a deep clean.

He used a manual toothbrush and didn't think floss/interdental brushes were a necessary expense/activity, despite a decent electric and all of the options being available. He knows better now <shrug>.

Well I don't know really, I've sort of self diagnosed based on photos on google, but it does look like it. Where the gum meets the tooth there is some receding and discolouration. It's not as bad as some of the photos on there but it does look like early stages.

I'm hoping even if this is what it is it won't ever be as bad as the wisdom tooth which was decayed on the inside down to the pulp. Even so it's shit and constantly on my mind.

You don't know for certain it's cavities. It could be discolouration only, recession or they could have been slowly developing but weren't visible or bad enough to show on x ray.
Just get a check up again.
If you're brushing with electric brush, using chlorhexidine mouthwash, flossing or tp'ing each tooth then there's not much more you can do.
Some people's teeth are weaker than others.
There's a strong medicine for bones that can affect your teeth. Do you take something for osteoporosis?

I really sympathise, both of my lower wisdom teeth caused me endless problems. The removal of the first was so traumatic. It was impacted and the roots were an odd shape so the procedure took 2.5 hours. Lots of sawing. I couldn't afford sedation and because I was there so long, the novicaine was no longer effective by the end. Both the oral surgeon and the nurse were really stressed out. It came out in about 5 pieces and then I got dry socket which was horrific. As a result, I put off having the other one removed for years which meant dealing with infection after infection. Thankfully they're all gone now. Fucking things.

As pp says, the lines you're seeing could be gum recession. Do you have a pressure sensor on your brush?

Do you drink any fizzy drinks, including sparkling water? do you drink juice?

Does your toothpaste have fluoride in it?

How soon after eating or drinking juice or sparkling drinks (if applicable) do you brush your teeth?

My dentist recommended not rinsing after brushing so that the fluoride remains on the teeth. She also recommended using a fluoride mouthwash twice a day, mid morning and mid afternoon rather than after brushing in order to maximise the fluoride contact.

To be honest since my electric toothbrush broke I have been using manual but will go back to electric now I'm having all these issues. It's clearly the best option but I'm worried the damage is already done. I'm more worried about endless gum infections and pain. I genuinely believe it's worse than labour. And I'm going to ruin my holiday worrying about it as I won't be able to see a dentist easily abroad. Ffs.

It's really not a good idea to try and diagnose yourself via google.

You say you brush everyday but do you floss and use inter-dental brushes etc. too?

It sounds like gum recession to me. I have it, there's not much you can do about it except for brushing more gently and it's never caused me any problems at all.

Don't spoil a holiday worrying about your teeth please!

It's possible they are abrasion "cavities". So when your gum recedes and the root is exposed, the root surface is softer than the enamel and wears down quickly. So you get kind of like dents/holes near the gum line. Do they look anything like these? (Pictures just taken from Google)

If so, they're not really cavities. You need to be careful you're not overbushing or brushing too hard. The dentist can "fill" them as well. It's not really a filling as there's no decay and it normally doesn't involve drilling. Simply putting some white composite over them.

It's similar to the second photo although not quite as severe. Perhaps I'm worrying unduly I just get very paranoid over anything tooth or gum related now

It's good to keep an eye on things and be aware. Just make sure you're using an electric toothbrush that has a pressure sensor. See if you can get a soft head for it as well. As long as it doesn't keep getting worse it shouldn't cause you any issues. But if it worries you or it's causing sensitivity or its getting worse talk to the dentist at some point about getting composite coverings put over them. There's no desperate rush though. They won't get dramatically worse immediately.

Do you have your regular dentist appts OP? Things like this don’t turn up overnight so would be picked up during your regular appointments

Don't panic, OP. I know you had a bad time last time, but I spent two hours crying at the emergency dentist in the waiting room once only to find my 'tooth pain' which I was convinced was a cavity was nothing at all. Find a dentist on your return, but this may be your anxiety driving your feelings on this now.

Yes I have 6 monthly check ups and as I said I had x rays about 2-3 months ago for the wisdom tooth.

I think anxiety is definitely playing a part

When you had your wisdom teeth out did the Dr advise you to wait approx. 30 mins before rinsing with mouthwash? Apparently you need to wait to rinse as if you do it immediately after brushing you wash away all the fluoride so you need to wait for it to build up.

I never knew this and when I went for a braces consultation recently i was shocked when the orthodontist told me I had gingivitis. I had previously been brushing too aggressively and rinsing immediately after brushing which is likely what lead to it. I've now invested in an electric toothbrush that has a red light if I brush too hard and I wait before rinsing with mouthwash. Using a mouthwash with chlorhexidine is important too. All this has made a huge difference to my dental health.

If you're really worried, I'd book a private consultation before you go on holiday to put your mind at ease.

As long as you have the necessary medical insurance, you can get treatment abroad. Years ago DH cracked a tooth on the plane on the way to Africa. He had dental treatment in Mombasa and it was excellent, very professional, sterile and cheap. Faster and better than any service in the UK.

@mumbo34 the pics that were shown look like discolour that can be made better. Not everything means you'll have pain and tooth loss.
Please try not to worry. Use an electric brush and enjoy your holiday.
I know loads of people with teeth that have that colouring on the bottom of top on them and their dentist says they are dentally fit. They often need hygeine appointments only to improve it.
But just relax and see a dentist when you get back. If you're worried about pain bring painkillers and clove oil with.

I'm actually thinking I've probably been brushing too hard all these years. And I don't floss often enough. But I certainly think my anxiety is playing a part in it all. Last time I had a dull ache for a few weeks then it pretty much morphed into unbearable pain in the space of a day or two. Not sure what triggered it to get so bad so quickly but I'm super paranoid at any twinge now.

They're not discoloured in the pics, they're abrasion cavities.

Ok then, in that case she'll need those filled. It's not the end of the world though. I had really bad abrasion on my upper teeth,14 of them are now mainly composite. But that way the composite will wear down rather than the real tooth.

I would really recommend an Emmi Dent toothbrush. You don't scrub with it. You hold it against each tooth with a special toothpaste. It is ultrasonic. I bought one when my gums started receding. I need the dentist much less with one of these. I do still also use a standard electric one to cover all bases, it seems to clear the plaque better and clean the places I can't reach. It is expensive at £150 but one dentist visit sets me back more. I sympathise. Teeth are the work of the devil.

Where the gum meets the tooth there is some receding and discolouration.

Gum recession is normal as you get older, but vigorous brushing of the gum line can cause erosion. The discolouration is normal too; staining from tea, coffee etc. Make an appointment with your dentist for an expert opinion to put your mind at rest.

It's understandable you feel that way. There are things you can do to help... floss every day, use a mouthwash (dentyl ph?) and use it at a different time to when you brush so you get a third 'boost' during the day. Look into Corsidol mouthwash etc as well. Hopefully time will pass without incident and your memory of this incident will ease/ fade. See a hygenist for an opinion?